Seeing Blue
by thedeadpen
Summary: Alec gets a lesson in the kitchen from Magnus that's sweet, a little spicy, and pleasantly surprising. * Another party at Magnus's turns out very different from the first for Alec. * Alec prepares for his world to change as he packs for his vacation with Magnus.
1. Blue in the Morning

Love 'em, but don't own 'em.

"You're getting pretty good at this," Magnus said, casually tucking Alec's tussled hair behind his ear.

"Yeah?" Alec panted slightly, his forehead wrinkled in concentration, pulling his mind back together when it threatened to scatter at Magnus's hands trailing over his shoulders.

"You just need to relax – a little."

"Not so hard!" Alec nearly collapsed on the counter.

Magnus's eyes flashed wickedly. He knew Alec liked it to hurt a little, and that he could handle much more. "Alexander, I've been doing this a lot longer than you. Trust me, I am practically a professional."

"What, are you going to add that to your business card next?" Alec muttered.

Magnus pinched him for his impertinence, and Alec caught his hand and held it, pulling him closer. "There, I'm done." With an uncharacteristic flourish likely caused by spending too much time with Magnus, he discarded his frosting spatula and held his breath while the warlock surveyed his work.

"It's beautiful," he said simply. "Like you. Simple, but elegant and clean. Not to mention scrumptious." Their hands were still linked and Magnus licked a stray smudge of frosting from Alec's finger and kissed the back of his hand. Alec _almost_ controlled his blush and didn't attempt to hide his smile.

Alec had awoken that morning to a shiny new kitchen that could have produced food for a whole bakery (and had probably been "borrowed" from one). Magnus, barefoot and suited in dark jeans and a leopard print apron, with a dusting of flour in his spiky hair, had greeted him with a cup of coffee – black, with sugar – and instructed him to sit at the new counter while the master worked.

He was baking a triple layer cake, three layers of increasingly dark and decadent chocolate, he explained. Alec had only ever had one homemade cake, an experiment of Isabelle's that had come out resembling a black and pink cement block rather than a strawberry cake and resulted in the pan being thrown out and the counters being stained for a month. He was dubious, but watched with interest. As he was beginning to notice with everything Magnus worked on, his hands were certain, his movements full of confidence and never hurried.

After careful measuring and mixing, Magnus let him sample each of the batter flavors before they went into the oven to be sure the were edible, and Alec had pronounced each delicious. If Magnus had a tail to go with his cat eyes, Alec was sure it would have swished in pleasure. While the confections baked and then cooled, Magnus fried eggs and toast for their breakfast. After stuffing themselves, they tumbled onto the couch and dozed off against each other. Alec was really getting used to these lazy, lost hours he spent at Magnus's apartment. So much so that he protested when Magnus was pulling him to his feet and trying to tie the spotted apron around him.

"It's time to frost the cake," he declared, handing over a spatula. "Here you go." Alec, who wielded seraph blades and his bow with a deadly control, faltered with the silicon kitchen instrument.

"Me? Why?" Alec felt an irrational wave of panic seize him. He'd never done anything in the kitchen aside from maybe make a sandwich if he was desperately hungry and it was too dreary to walk to Taki's.

"Because it will be fun. And we're expanding your horizons. Remember you telling me you wanted to try new things?" Alec scowled at him. He'd been pinned underneath Magnus on the couch with his pants unbuttoned a couple of nights ago when he'd said that, right before Magnus abruptly got called away on a magical emergency from which he'd only returned late the night before, after Alec had already gone to sleep.

But actually, Alec was pleased with the job he'd done, too. Their cake looked great.

"So where did you learn to bake?" The baking officially over, Alec grabbed a rag to start wiping down the counter. Magnus was facing away from him, stacking flour and spices back in the cupboard.

"My mother," he said, in a familiar tone that told Alec he wasn't interested in playing 20 questions about his past and this curious talent he'd just revealed. Alec switched gears without letting it ruffle him. He still enjoyed his own privacy, too.

"Alright then. What's the occasion?"

When Alec didn't get an answer, he stopped cleaning and turned around. Magnus was leaning against the counter, contemplating him. Alec cursed himself for always feeling undone by Magnus's stare. But he stared back, refusing to give in to his impulse to turn away in embarrassment. Magnus watched all of his feelings play across his face and raised a curious eyebrow.

"Why, you of course."

"_Me_?"

"What were you just thinking about?" Magnus's eyes were unfathomable. Alec thought there was nothing that escaped his notice, which made him especially sensitive in intimate moments and exceptionally disconcerting in conversation.

"I was thinking about you. About the way you look at me sometimes, it makes me feel like I've been caught doing something I shouldn't."

"But you were only staring back at me." Magnus's lips dipped the most delicate of downward turns.

"I know," Alec muttered, confused by his own feelings, but unhappy with what he'd said. "I don't understand why you would bake a cake for me. Sometimes...I don't understand why I'm here at all." His feelings crystalized as he spoke, and both of them drew their breath in slightly in the silence that followed. He'd spoken the truth, though. Their time together still felt like a beautiful, fleeting dream.

Then Magnus was in front of him, his cat eyes a couple of inches higher than Alec's, his bare chest a hairsbreadth away, the flour still dusted on his forehead. "Alexander." The feeling in his soft voice and the closeness of him made Alec's heart speed up. "I hope you're here because you want to be. I think I've made it very clear that I want you to be. By the way, happy one month anniversary."

Alec's eyes widened in surprise, and then slowly a smile spread across his face and seemed to reach down to his toes. Had it really been a month? Alec tried not to think about the passing of time, tried not to let himself start to get a grip on Magnus because he was afraid he'd never want to let go. But he'd never accounted for Magnus holding on to him.

Alec didn't have any more words. He leaned forward, his eyelids dropping, but Magnus put a hand to his cheek and stopped him. Alec looked up again. "In 800 years, Alexander, I don't think I've seen anything quite like your eyes. Close, but not quite. Like burning water. And I never want to forget the way they look right now."

He thought he knew what Magnus meant. He felt like he was on fire. He felt more alive than when he was fighting, like Magnus brought him to life with the desire Alec saw reflected back in from his cat eyes. This time Alec kissed him and Magnus kissed back, encircling him in his arms.

"I want to be wherever you are," Alec whispered, in between kisses as they slowly backed out of the kitchen towards Magnus's bedroom.

His eyes still closed, Alec only saw the faint blue flash through his eyelids and felt the most pleasant of tingling sensations on the back of his neck and the small of his back as sparks flew from Magnus's fingers. Alec felt the rumble of a purr in the warlock's chest and he put everything he was feeling into his kiss, to communicate how overwhelmingly happy he was without trying to put it into words.

They fell gasping against the wall just outside the room. Magnus had a hand in Alec's hair and tugged so hard he almost left a bald spot while Alec left a mark of his own over Magnus's collar bone. His purr became a growl.

"You're getting pretty good at this, too." Magnus smirked.

"Oh, yeah?" Alec hooked his fingers under the waistband of Magnus's jeans. He knew he was, though. He felt it in the way Magnus hummed under his hands.

"You've had a great teacher, but still, I think you might be a natural." Magnus squawked in surprise as Alec lifted him bodily off the ground, his slender frame wrapping around Alec's with a satisfying ease.

"I didn't get you anything, or make you anything" Alec said, sprawling himself over Magnus on the bed. "But – I have something else."

Magnus drew his head back from the crook of Alec's neck. A moment later, Alec was flipped over on his back and Magnus loomed over him. It happened so quickly that he couldn't quite tell how he'd done it. It was a move he'd have to learn himself sometime. "You on the bottom this time?" A grin threatening to overcome Magnus. "You sure you trust me?"

"Completely."

This time Alec thought he saw the briefest of blue sparks crackle in Magnus's eyes before they were both lost to the blaze.

- tdp


	2. Blue at Night

Love 'em, but don't own 'em.

* * *

"Do I look alright?"

"Isabelle, why would you possibly ask me that? You look fine," Alec said, without looking at her.

He clenched his hands in his pockets and strode ahead of his sister down the Brooklyn block that still looked a little creepy after dark, lined on both sides with what appeared to be warehouses left to ruin, though he knew many had been converted to chic lofts. Apparently crumbling facades were all the rage. He was already regretting this night. Isabelle caught up to him and looped her deceptively slender and enticingly bare arm around his, forcing him to slow down with her bear-trap-like grip.

"Not already thinking about ditching me, are you dear brother? Sorry for assuming that all this time you've been spending around Magnus might have given you a greater awareness of his social scene, even if it hasn't improved your fashion sense."

Her shimmering gold nails caught the street light as they walked under it and blazed for a minute like they'd been dipped in molten gold. So did the rest of her ensemble, such as it was, a slinky gold dress and strappy heeled sandals with knee-high ties. Objectively he knew she looked like a goddess, but he felt a familiar upwelling of embarrassment at her brazenness and pity for whoever took her attire as an invitation. The two of them were polar opposites in that respect.

Alec would have been happy to stay home and let Isabelle accept Magnus's invitation herself if the warlock hadn't specifically stated that he expected the pair of them or no one (there had also been an underlined note indicating that Jace was explicitly unwelcome, which luckily Alec hadn't needed to bring up when Jace showed all the interest of a dry sponge in coming with them). Izzy wouldn't let Alec have one moment of peace all day until he swore on the Angel that he would take her to Magnus's party.

"You look great, Iz. You always look great."

"I know," she said breezily. She relaxed her grip on his arm and Alec felt blood surge back into his fingers. They walked the rest of the block in silence and then Alec was on the steps, preparing to ring the buzzer. He hesitated. There was a rumbling behind the door. A moment later, only the siblings' Shadowhunter reflexes saved them from being bowled over as three bodies flew over the steps and landed in a tangled, snarling heap on the sidewalk. The distinct odor of scorched hair made Alec and Isabelle crinkle their noses.

"And stay out!" Magnus glowered, his tall frame taking up nearly the entire doorway. He had on a sheer iridescent button down and a flowing black robe that would have reached the ground if it weren't crackling behind him with the force of his anger. Smoke seemed to be swirling around his arms and legs, too. Alec made a stifled sound of alarm, and immediately Magnus's rage dissipated.

"Well well well." His robe finally floated to the ground and he leaned against the door, the picture of composed. The pile of bodies on the sidewalk slunk off into the night, uncommented on and forgotten. "Hello, gorgeous."

"Thanks," Alec and Isabelle said together.

"I meant Isabelle, of course," Magnus said, taking Isabelle's hand to move her off the stoop. She walked ahead up the stairs. Magnus bowed close to Alec and gave him a peck on his clenched jaw and a wink and left him to bring up the end of the train.

The pulse of the music reverberated through the floor as they got closer to his loft. "So, who's here?" Isabelle said.

"Absolutely everyone," Magnus purred. His outburst on the stoop notwithstanding, he seemed to be in great mood. He was regaling Isabelle with some bit of humor Alec couldn't quite hear. In the dim lighting of the stairwell, he was noticing faint glowing streaks of orange and yellow and blue on Magnus's hands and peeking out above his shirt collar, like neon tiger stripes. Alec must have been concentrating on watching Magnus ascend, because he stopped abruptly to find both Izzy and Magnus staring at him.

"What?" he said, self-consciously. There was a prolonged silence, then Isabelle began to snicker.

"I'm glad you came," Magnus said, too late to make a smooth cover.

"I had to force him," Izzy tattled. "And no amount of threatening could get him to wear anything more – exciting." She threw her hands up, half in exasperation and half in pity, though whether for herself or Magnus or Alec it wasn't clear.

"Alexander." Magnus caught Alec's eye with his intense gaze and held it past the normal length of a look. Then a slow smile spread across his face, making all of his features glow. Automatically, Alec smiled back.

"There. Now you look great." Isabelle made a faint choking sound and turned on her heel to hike away from them, calling back something that sounded like get a room. With a wistful sigh, Magnus turned to follow her, and in a couple of minutes they were at his door, on the pulsing edge of a room breaking multiple fire code rules about maximum capacity. The apartment was dimly lit, making it hard to tell just how many people there were, but it was more than Alec would have thought could fit.

"Isabelle, don't go far! I want to introduce you to a faerie friend of mine. He's a knight!" Isabelle flashed him a thumbs up and mouthed later, as she was already tangled in a group of dancers on the floor. Turning back to Alec, he extended his hand. "Dance with me?"

"I think I want a drink," Alec said, quickly scanning the room for any faces he might recognize. It was unlikely, since he didn't exactly run in the same social circles as Magnus, or in any social circle that extended beyond the Institute for that matter, but he still had to be careful.

"Alexander, if you won't dance with me, how can I sweep you off your feet?" He had a wisp of a smile on his lips, but Alec knew he was entirely serious. Magnus rarely joked about his feelings, which Alec appreciated, even if he sometimes had difficulty resisting the urge to either laugh or melt to the floor.

"Later," he said. "I'm going to the bar. I like your stripes, by the way." Magnus had already lowered his hand, but Alec grabbed it and laced their fingers together briefly. It was discrete enough, and seemed to perk him up a little. He let Alec slip away, watching him thoughtfully.

"Avoid the blue and red libations tonight. Stick to the gold, it's safer."

Alec waved his thanks. He'd been planning to stick to water, too leery to trust the warlock bartender to serve him something ordinary, but at Magnus's suggestion he grabbed a golden goblet and edged away toward the wall. He was noticing that Magnus wasn't the only person sporting glowing paint tonight. Some were wearing nothing but splatters and lines of it, and as he picked his way across the open space he stepped over a couple of slick and shimmering yellow and orange spots that looked fresh. There must have been a body painting station set up somewhere in the apartment, though he couldn't see more than a few feet in any direction through the crush of bodies.

Several people he passed eyed him, some with scorn and some with lust, but none with recognition and he avoided getting too close to any of them. This was only the second party he'd been to at Magnus's, and the first has involved Jace ruining a bunch of vampire motorcycles and Clary's friend being turned into a rat. It had certainly been eventful. The memory of Magnus smiling at him in that one instant like he was the only person in the room right before he kicked them all out made him flush and he was grateful that he was alone for the moment. He took a steadying swig from his goblet and a liquid that was icy and fiery shot down his throat and made his chest tingle. He inhaled sharply, waiting for something awful to happen. Maybe Magnus hadn't said gold, or the bartender had disregarded his color coding, but when nothing happened he realized he recognized the familiar acid bite of liquor at the back of his throat. Satisfied that he was safe, he turned up the goblet and drained the rest of its contents.

* * *

"You keep such - interesting company." Isabelle was whirling like a dervish in the middle of the living room turned dance floor, and was pleasantly surprised when Magnus joined her and matched her wild pace. With the help of his long limbs, they cleared a small space that finally allowed Isabelle to get a better look at the crowd. Like the last party she'd crashed with Alec and Jace and Clary, this party was Downworlder central. There were faeries and warlocks in equal amounts, most with startling features and outlandish clothing that made Magnus's cat eyes and black robe look mundane. On a smaller scale there was a group of lycanthropes crowded near the black lit bar, and an equally contained group of vampire overrunning the furthest away group of sofas.

"Yourself included, I'm sure." He grabbed her arm and flung her in a fast spin that made her laugh. Her laughter wasn't unlike Alec's, and brought a smile to his lips. "You seem to be having a good time."

"I was born on a dance floor." Isabelle's vigorous moves seemed to back up her proclamation.

"And your brother?"

"It's a testament to how much he likes you that he's here at all. I can't remember Alec voluntarily attending a party." He always had the look of a suffering martyr when he was forced to attend parties when they visited Alicante. "Though that could be because he's always being asked to dance by pretty girls who couldn't interest him less. But even he could stand to let off a little steam after what we've been through lately."

Magnus laughed softly and gave her another twirl, and she spun herself right into the arms of a strapping faerie with eyes the color of leaves and a compliment waiting on his lips. Magnus released her graciously and slipped away from Isabelle and her new partner, who were swallowed by the crowd in seconds.

* * *

Alec's limbs were humming after his second goblet, making it impossible to stand against the wall any longer. He'd lost sight of Izzy and Magnus, but had seen the flash of Chairman Meow's tail along the floor and decided to follow the cat. It turned out not to be hard. He'd stepped in one of the pools of paint, and left a trail of glowing paw prints across the floor that Magnus would complain loudly about having to clean up before he magicked them away with a flick of his wrist.

The Chairman led him straight to the kitchen, which had been remade into a sort of black light painting studio. The counters had been cleared off, white sheets flung over everything, and dozens of bottle of glowing paint were scattered around. He saw two werewolves painting each other, each covered from head to toe in a riot of color. They were doing a lot of other touching as well. Alec was thinking he seriously hoped the paint was nontoxic with the way each of their mouths was glowing when he drew up short. The werewolves ravishing each other were both male. Alec usually wouldn't react besides maybe turning away in embarrassment, but both of them were pretty worked up it was obvious, and it startled him so much that it felt like a long time before he could jump start his brain to avert his eyes. He couldn't shut off his ears to their low growls of pleasure.

He looked around to see if anyone else had noticed them, or had noticed _him_, but no one showed any undue interest. People moved around the couple to dip their hands into paint jars and smear themselves or others around them. He was feeling suddenly overheated and set his goblet down. His eyes darted around the kitchen, trying to find something to focus on besides the werewolves.

"They don't mind if you stare, you know." Alec would have dropped his cup if he were still holding it. "I think they like the attention."

"Magnus!" The humming in his veins amplified about a thousand times when the warlock slide up beside him, ever so casually brushing his hip and making little spots appear around the corners of Alec's vision.

"Having fun?"

"I was following the Chairman. Now I see where all of the action is."

"Well, not all of the action, my little-" Magnus's voice caught in his throat in a way that made Ale'c stomach plummet to his feet in exhilaration. Alec had reach out and traced on of the stripes showing where Magnus's shift fell open. He laid his hand flat against the smooth skin and felt a soft rumble go through Magnus's chest under his fingers. It was Magnus he'd been thinking of a moment ago when his brain sputtered out, and now he'd appeared, seeming conjured up by the strength of Alec's longing. Clearly it wasn't a one-sided feeling.

"I don't think I can – Not like them-"

"You don't have to," Magnus said, stepping closer in a way that made Alec feel both protected and endangered.

"But," Alec said, "I do want you to paint me." He move back enough to really take in Magnus, with his crazy outfit and his smile that made even his eyes glow and went through Alec like another goblet of liquor.

"Where?" There was a tease in the question, but Alec wasn't quite ready to rise to the challenge.

"My face. Make me a mask," he said firmly. Magnus nodded once and led Alec closer to the counter where several jars were arrayed. He grabbed an electric blue and told Alec to close his eyes.

Like his drink, the sensation of having his face painted sent chills and hot flashes across his skin from the cold paint and Magnus's warm and gentle fingers. He lost track of the pattern of whorls and lines and felt the rest of the party float away. He didn't know how much time had passed before he was brought back by the warm touch on his lips that had none of the clammy wetness of the paint. It was still gentle, but all heat.

Alec leaned into the kiss. He wanted it, had wanted it since he was standing on the front step and Magnus had burst through the door. It was Magnus who pulled back when he pressed forward, just enough so that his lips tickled Alec's when he spoke.

"Don't mess up your face just yet. It's too beautiful to waste." And Magnus was holding out a small round mirror, conjured from who knows where. Alec held it at arm's length to get a view of himself, and what he saw shocked him. In the dim light, his face was alive with blue fire. Magnus's intricate design ringed his eyes, giving them an otherworldly glow, and swooped over his cheekbones, carving out dramatic shadows that made him look ageless and strong. And hot.

"Now I look fit for a party," Alec said, taking Magnus's hand. "I believe you offered to sweep me off my feet. Lead the way."

Magnus parted the crowd like water, guiding him to the middle of the room. Alec passed Isabelle enchanting a moody-looking faerie. She caught his eye and gave him an appreciative and delighted once over before she was lost to him again. He hoped she'd be alright getting herself home after the party. He imagined he had other plans.

The music pounded a steady rhythm. Alec was so glad there wasn't a faerie band playing tonight. He started to move to the music and grinned at Magnus's arched eyebrow of surprise.

"What, you thought I wouldn't know how to dance?"

"Not at all. I can see that it's genetic." That was generous. Isabelle looked positively predatory when she danced, but Alec just looked completely swept up in the flow of the music, and Magnus was happy to be swept along beside him. They lost track of time. People danced around them, even sometimes with them, but remained anonymous and disappeared again, many of them retiring for the night. For once Magnus didn't have to shut down his own party, they cleared out on their own, or with a little help from Isabelle who drew a whole host down to the street after threatening to rip the eyelashes off of a female faerie who'd dared proposition her date when they were on their way out ("_Clearly together,_"Isabelle said in her own defense the next day; luckily the threatened faerie disappeared in the crowd).

Alec was drenched in sweat and the loft was nearly empty before he was ready to come down from his flight through the clouds. Magnus had made a joke about the energy of the young, but kept up with him all night. Seeing Alec finally tire, Magnus clapped his hands and the music cut out abruptly, though the lights stayed dim and Alec's blood pounding still hammered out a rhythm in his ears. The rest of the guests discreetly exited, and they were standing alone in the living room, both panting and glowing softly and unable to break eye contact.

"I'm glad I came, too," Alec said. "Really glad." He could see the reflection of his painted face in Magnus's eyes. So much had happened so fast, but Alec felt in his bones that he was exactly where he should be. He pulled Magnus to him for one more dance, this time a slow dance that they both could have let go on forever.

* * *

- tdp


	3. Blue Forever

Love 'em, but don't own 'em.

* * *

Alec upturned his dresser drawer and watched the wave of dark clothes land on the floor. He was flustered, crumpling already wrinkled tshirts and sweaters with his careless shifting. He was irrationally compelled to stomp on every article. He was quickly concluding that he would rather face another horde of demons than confront packing for a trip with Magnus. His boyfriend. For an indefinitely period of time, but certainly longer than the occasional overnight or the one weekend they'd spent together.

With a surly sigh, Alec flung himself on the bed.

"Trouble in paradise?" Alec suddenly couldn't draw up the energy to turn his head.

"I have to _get_ to paradise first," he muttered as his _parabatai_ flung himself down beside him. "I don't think I'll make it."

"Not with that attitude you won't," Jace advised sagely. Alec felt less irrational when he was suppressing the urge to stomp on Jace.

Alec waited for the mocking to begin. He'd already exchanged words with Isabelle, who'd been trying to counsel him in matters of fashion and love, which had ended when he threatened to leave without saying goodbye to her if she didn't exit his room. That threat wouldn't carry the same weigh with Jace, and besides, he was considering calling the whole thing off anyway. Afterward he didn't want to be called a coward and a liar.

They sat in silence for several minutes before Alec caved and looked over at Jace. His eyes were closed, his face buried in his arms. Only his quirking lips told Alec he was awake, and that he was aware of being watched.

"What?"

"You're freaking out over nothing, you know."

"I am not freaking out," Alec said through gritted teeth. He grimaced just at the taste of the word. Jace was developing a familiarity with mundane slang thanks to Clary. It felt too raw on Alec's tongue, too emotional. He resisted the impulse to freak.

Jace opened his eyes. The warm gold seemed to move and bubble with the laughter he was clearly holding back. They were quite close, which Alex was used to. He could have reached out and touched Jace's arm if he wanted. But he'd never had that desire, not really, not the way he felt with Magnus. What Alec had once thought was romantic love was an extension of the fierce loyalty and protectiveness he felt for his blood brother, as maddening as he was being at present. He suspected Jace saw himself more as a helpful heckler.

"No? Well, you don't look like your usual calm, collected self. You act as if you've never abandoned your family and gone galavanting off to Europe with a dangerous warlock harboring impure intentions before."

Alec visibly paled as Jace perfectly summed up what was bothering him about this proposed vacation – everything. He wasn't the guy who did things like this. He'd never been so far away, had never done anything exciting that didn't involve killing demons, and he certainly didn't go on romantic flings with highly attractive men with entrancing cat eyes and seductive smiles that made his insides shiver.

"I'm going to call him and say I can't go," he said weakly.

"And tell him what? You have nothing to wear?"

"Shut up. You're not helping."

"You want my help?" Jace was on his feet before Alec registered him moving. He was in a half crouch, a position from which he could comfortably attack or defend. He opted for the aggressive approach, and Alec had just enough time to roll off the bed as Jace's hand whipped through the space he'd been occupying a millisecond before.

"What are you doing? Have you lost your mind?" Jace was launching items at him from the pile on the floor. He dodged a sweater, batted away a shoe, but didn't see the belt just behind it until it knocked him between the eyes. "Dammit, Jace! Stop!"

He rubbed his forehead in irritation. The room was an even bigger disaster. Jace tossed a black duffle bag at his feet. "Get packing, Lightwood. Before I have to call your sister up here. I know she'd love to help tie you up and personally escort you to Brooklyn."

With a scowl, Alec wrenched the bag up and began stuffing it at random. Anything to shut his _parabatai_ up. He could still call it off, he told himself, as he shoved his toothbrush into the front pocket of his bag. He took a mental note of what was for dinner – roast lamb, one of his favorites – as he said brief goodbyes to his mother and sister. Maryse's eyes brimmed with worry, Izzy's with excitement for him. He wished he felt the same.

Jace was the last face he saw, leaning against the door of the Institute with a smug smile.

"See you soon," Alec said, hoisting his bag over his shoulder.

"You'd better not," Jace said, and shut the door in Alec's face.

Alec felt a slight shiver run up his spine as he stared back at the door, like he was leaving behind some place or thing he wouldn't be able to return to. Was he being crazy? Hadn't he wanted this? He willed himself to push aside the worry and remember the giddy thrill he'd felt when Magnus had first invited him on the trip of a lifetime.

* * *

Alec's sides were sore from laughing so hard. He collapsed on the couch and rubbed absently at his side while he waited from Magnus to return. They'd spent the evening entertaining Catarina, Magnus's warlock friend who'd recounted several hilarious adventures the two of them had shared over the centuries while they split a bottle of wine.

Magnus returned from escorting Catarina out and sprawled on the floor, leaning against the couch just above Alec's head. The feel of Magnus's long fingers in his hair made him sigh.

"Catarina liked you," Magnus said. "She's never taken with Shadowhunters. But then, you are exceptional in that respect, as in many others."

"You're – The things you've done. Both of you. I haven't done anything, been anywhere. You're so..." Alec propped himself up on his elbow, his eyes taking in all of Magnus almost as if for the first time. He hadn't changed over the course of the evening, but after hearing bits of his history running wild in South America and making a name for himself in London, Alec couldn't help trying to see signs of Magnus's adventures in his face that looked so young.

"Go on," Magnus purred, his lips close enough to threaten Alec's focus. There was nothing but his bemused smile to hint at what he might be thinking.

"Incredible." _Amazing. Breathtaking. _It was difficult to find the right adjectives to use for Magnus. Sometimes Alec thought he needed new languages to describe him, for none of the worlds in the modern or ancient languages he knew came out sounding anything but lame.

"Why, thank you." Magnus showed his genuine appreciation further by laying his lips over Alec's with a firm insistence. Alec melted off the couch and into his arms, his head swimming from the stories and the kissing.

It was much later when Alec regained a steady mind, by which time he was leaning against the pillows in bed with Magnus curled against his bare chest in a decidedly catlike position. His thoughts kept turning over the evening, and he couldn't help ruminating over the idea that these new pieces he had of Magnus's past were only small insights into his hundreds of years and millions of experiences on Earth.

"Someday..." Magnus stirred at the sound of his voice. "Someday I want to see the things you've seen." He wasn't even sure quite what he meant as he was saying it. Simultaneously he knew he was reaching for some way to feel closer to Magnus, to understand him more, but he also felt a longing to see new things for himself, for his own benefit.

"I want to show them to you. The whole world." Magnus locked eyes with him. In these moments when they were alone Alec felt closest to him, like his layers of mysteries and secrets were not surrounding his heart, which was shining on his face, waiting to be picked up and cradled by Alec's.

"But you've seen everything already," Alec said, protesting purely from the practical standpoint of not wanting to bore his boyfriend by forcing him to endure recreations of scenes he'd lived before.

"Everything with you is new," Magnus said gently, laying a hand on Alec's cheeck. "You are a breath of fresh air, Alexander Lightwood."

Alec tried to protest again, but Magnus silenced him with a finger. "I've seen so much of the beauty and wonder of this world. How much more wonderful to see them with the person I love?"

Alec's mouth stilled under Magnus's hand. His touch was light, but Alec still felt the heat of him, the memory in his skin of electricity tingling every nerve ending. His stomach tightened with desire, but deeper than the physical need was his craving for what Magnus was offering him. He could almost see the image in Magnus's mind. Them. Together. Elsewere.

"When do we leave?" He whispered, barely daring to listen to himself admit the secret of his heart.

"Give me a week. I'll take care of everything." Magnus was laughing, and so was Alec.

"Where will we go? For how long?"

"Everywhere. And how about forever?"

"Magnus!" Alec kissed him, still laughing. He wanted to say yes. He pushed away the thought needling at the back of his mind that he didn't have forever like Magnus did. That there would be things to do at the Institute, battles to fight most likely, but for one night he wanted to nurture his perfect dream of another life, one of perfect happiness and love.

* * *

When Alec unlocked the door and let himself into Magnus's apartment he didn't mention that he'd been fighting a panic attack on the front steps for half an hour.

"What took you so long?" Magnus grabbed Alec's bag in one arm and swept him into the apartment with an urgent hand on his back. Alec looked around in mild alarm.

"Were you robbed?" He asked plainly.

"No one would dare rob the High Warlock of Brooklyn," Magnus said, with a slightly offended air. Alec thought it was a fair question, given the disarrayed state of the room. Furniture was upturned, cabinets were spilling their contents on the floor, and the rug was inexplicably shredded to ribbons. "But what kept you? I expected you hours ago."

Alec mumbled something about taking care of last minute things at the Institute. Thankfully, Magnus was only half listening. After a hello kiss, he disappeared deeper into the apartment while Alec stood awkwardly beside his bag in the living room.

"I'm just about finished preparing," Magnus said, reappearing with Chairman Meow clamped between his arms. The cat was making a low growling sound at being held captive.

"I thought your cat was staying with Catarina." He let a joke about Magnus and the Chairman enjoying a vacation themselves die at the back of his throat. He was too afraid that he'd sound overly enthusiastic about switching places with the cat.

"I'm sending him off now. I just couldn't bear to be parted with him too soon. And he put up a bit of a fuss about going." Magnus gestured to the destroyed room. "_Au revoir, mon chat_. BEHAVE YOURSELF. Catarina is not as friendly as she looks." He planted a loud kiss on the furry head poking out between his arms, which earned him a yowl. With a chuckle, Magnus snapped his fingers and his arms were suddenly empty. "So, that's that. Now it's just cleaning up."

Magnus moved to the center of the room and raised his arms again to magic the room back to its usual state. Alec watched him bounce on the balls of his feet as he worked, buzzing with energy.

"Wait until you see where we're having dinner tonight," Magnus said. "Though we're five hours behind and running late, so we've missed our reservation, but I'm sure I've got enough clout to get us squeezed in anyway. And then tomorrow we're-"

Alec was still, looking at Magnus with eyes as wide and clear as the deep sea. Magnus was learning to read those eyes, which was made easier once he stopped trying to find coded meanings in Alec's expressions. Sometimes it was hardest to see what was most plain, and Alec was as straightforward a man as he'd ever encountered. What he saw in his gaze now was equal parts wonder and fear, laced with what he thought was a streak of desire, though the last could have been him projecting his own emotions.

"You're really looking forward to this, aren't you?" Alec said.

"More than I have looked forward to anything in a long, long time." Alec felt the force behind Magnus's words. He almost gasped as his mind cleared for the first time in days.

All week he'd been battling against his rising panic about the trip. He'd woken up that morning in a cold sweat about the thought of leaving his safe world to see new horizons by Magnus's side. Alec shook his head. Magnus, who had lived over 800 years and was the most excited Alec had ever seen him in that moment, was the sun dispelling the clouds that had gathered around him.

He stepped forward until he was in the circle of Magnus's upraised arms. He laced his arms around his boyfriend's neck and pulled him down the few inches that separated them, savoring the sweet pull of Magnus inhaling him. He felt suddenly light as air. How could he have been so stupid, to have completely missed how much this meant to Magnus? His own concerns fluttered away like so much ash.

Alec smiled for the first time since he'd arrived at Magnus's apartment. "Will you promise to let me call the Institute every night to check in? And to tell me all the right places to ohh and ahh?"

"Of course. And just a bit of advice – When in doubt, do what feels natural."

Alec laced his fingers through Magnus's and squeezed. "Alright. Then I'm ready whenever you are."


End file.
